Dance Your Heart Out

Tired of uninspiring Valentine's set menus in overcrowded restaurants? Or dreading spending another Valentine's alone on the coach with a bottle of red and far too much pizza? Put the pyjamas down and get your dancing shoes on instead! Whether you're loved up or single and ready to mingle, there are plenty of opportunities to pull some shapes this Valentine's Day. From fun and flirty festivals to seductive masquerade balls, you can show Cupid how it should be done - dancing the night away with the one you love, your best friends or maybe even someone new...

Celebrate the darker side of love this February at The Dark Side of Love - The Valentine's Masked Ball. Presented by A Curious Invitation, it will take place at the Century Club and offer an evening of debauchery and dancing with a cast of eerie and exotic performers across four floors. Performers include burlesque bombshell Dinah-Might, bizarre latex cabaret act Syban V, New Orleans Brass band Temple Funk Collective, contortionist Twisted Nymph, dominatrix Mistress Beatrix and mind reader Nelson Brett. So, don your finest attire and embark on an evening of drinking and mischief.

If you're hoping to avoid red roses, slow dancing, hand holding and pet names this Valentine's Day then head to Bounce, where all of these are banned at their Anti-Valentine's Party. Teaming up with Bumble, the ping pong bar will be replacing all the lovey-dovey stuff with the Love Police, who will be taking mugshots of any Romance Rebels. There will also be unlimited UV ping pong all night, UV face paint artists, group games and tournaments, and music from DJ Shredded Pete. Bumble will present a live art installation as well as cocktails for amorous pairings - for those who have to break the anti-Valentine's rules and find someone.

For singletons who don't swoon at the mention of Valentine's Day and come out in a cold rash at the thought of (whisper) dating and romance, this one's for you. At Down with Dating - the Ultimate Anti-Valentine's Night, there's no chance of hearts and flowers. Instead, you can enjoy Speed Hating, which gives you the chance to bond with people over the little things in life you just can't stand. Of course, if you'd rather just vent your rage and scare the person opposite you, that'd probably be fine too. There'll be a game of Blind Hate. Now, if you can remember the wonderful Cilla Black's long-running TV show - this is the exact opposite. The chosen one will get to pick her potential future partner by asking questions such as Were I to wear a Donald Trump mask to bed, what might you do?. Afterwards, the lucky couple will be whisked off some cheap, warm lager shandy.

If Valentine's Day is your least favourite day of the year, the PopHorror Anti-Valentine's Ball is for you. Whether you're single and lonely or loved up and anti-romance, the event invites you to enjoy an evening of twisted cabaret at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. Performances will come from Breda Von Teese, Juliet Sugg, Bethany Haven and Chloe Rose while games and activities include speed hating, plenty more fishing, power ballad group karaoke and the damaged goods tombola. There will also be fine pop, indie and alternative music from DJs Paul Joseph and Neil Prince.

This February, Gypsy Disco and Shotgun Carousel, two top immersive event organisers, have partnered to present The Bleeding Heart Ball. Part of this year's Vault Festival, the late-night party invites the lonesome and companionless to turn their backs on Valentine's Day and embrace a night of devilry and debauchery. A refuge for the unrequited lovers of London, it will offer an evening of wild gypsy folk, brass bands, gender-bending cabaret, interactive theatre and jaw-dropping circus acts. Puppeteers, performers, masked revellers and costumed characters will roam through the venue while London's finest nude life models will pose up a storm in the Life Drawing Salon. There will also be a massage parlour, face and body painting, sensory games and tarot readings.